CLIMATE

Temperate to cool.

ACCOMMODATION

50+ passenger expedition ship, cabins with and without private facilities.

WildWings pioneered expedition cruises to this region in the mid-nineties, however, our original ship is no longer operating, so we have been offering this exciting itinerary on the expedition vessel ‘Spirit of Enderby’ (55 passengers) every year since 2007, with Chris Collins onboard as part of the ship’s team. Being a Russian flagged ship, these expeditions can visit sites previously not open to Western vessels.

This region of spectacular scenery has only been accessible since 1994 and still remains rarely visited, far more people have been to Antarctica! The species list is truly mouth-watering and is surely headed by one of the world’s ultimate raptors, Steller’s Sea-eagle. Seabirds are also here in abundance, with the potential alcids including Spectacled, Brunnich’s and Pigeon Guillemots, Whiskered, Rhinoceros, Crested, Parakeet and Least Auklets, Tufted and Horned Puffins, and both Ancient and Long-billed Murrelets. Black-tailed, Glaucous-winged and Slaty-backed Gulls are all present, along with the range-restricted Red-legged Kittiwake and highly distinctive Kamchatka Gull. We also stand a good chance of seeing Aleutian Tern too.

Whilst Laysan Albatross is the commonest albatross, there is also a good chance of both Black-footed and Short-tailed Albatrosses, with five of the latter in 2009, one in 2010 and 2012 and three in 2011. All three albatross’s were seen in 2017! Other likely tubenoses include Mottled Petrel, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Short-tailed Shearwater and the blue morph of the Northern Fulmar. Japanese, Pelagic and Red-faced Cormorants, Harlequin Duck, Black and Stejneger’s Scoters can all be expected and ashore, we will search for shorebirds such as Grey-tailed Tattler, Red-necked and Long-toed Stints, Latham’s Snipe and Rock Sandpiper.

Some of Japan’s special birds also occur in the Southern Kuril Islands and we will search for Japanese Robin, Japanese Bush Warbler and Japanese Accentor whilst ashore. On Sakhalin Island itself, we have seen Sakhalin Leaf Warbler and Sakhalin Warbler on previous visits and will look for both of these if time allows.

The expedition offers an opportunity to explore one of the most geologically active and biologically rich parts of the planet and due to the large number of active volcanoes, this region has become known as the Pacific’s ‘Ring of Fire’. The Kamchatka Peninsula is a land of stunning bays and snow-capped volcanoes where alpine meadows and lowland forests support a great diversity of wildlife, whilst the Kuril chain comprises 32 islands that stretch between Russia and Japan.

Whilst the Southern Kuril Islands are sparsely inhabited, the Central and Northern Islands have no permanent human presence and we can expected to go for several days without seeing any other people. The voyage also takes in the remote Commander Islands which are also rich in bird and marine mammals and are the final resting place of the famed Danish explorer Vitus Bering.

Depending on your flight arrangements, you will have time to stay in Petropavlovsk and/or Sakhalin pre and/or post cruise and we can book hotels in both. The vessel will have a full expedition team onboard for this voyage including Chris, the ship’s ornithologist. Subject to demand, we will also operate some land-based birding excursions around Petropavlovsk and Sakhalin for specialities such as Black-billed Capercaille and to guarentee Spectacled Guillemot.

Day 1: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy

You will be transferred to the vessel and we will depart for the Commander Islands. You are welcome on the bridge as we sail from what some people consider the best natural harbour in the world. There is also some good birding as we leave the shoreline behind.

Day 2: At Sea

A day at sea as we cruise towards the Commander Islands. Enjoy several lectures and briefings as we prepare for the days ahead. It is also a good time to be on deck as the birding is good with Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel and Red-legged Kittiwake amongst the likely sightings.

Days 3 to 4: Commander Islands

There are two main islands in the Commander group, Bering and Medny, and during our two days we will explore several sites combining the best of the natural and cultural history. There is an excellent chance of finding Rock Sandpiper, Mongolian Plover, Pechora Pipit and Grey-crowned Rosy-Finch, as well as the endemic subspecies of Arctic Fox. Zodiac cruising can be extremely rewarding here with several species of auklets as well as the Red-legged Kittiwake. The area is also extremely rich in marine mammals. Potential species include Sperm, Humpback, Northern Minke and Baird’s Beaked-Whales, as well as Orcas, Steller Sea Lions, Northern Fur Seals and Pacific Sea Otters. We include a visit to the small settlement of Nikolskoye and the local museum.

Day 5: Zhupanova River, Kamchatka

We will spend several hours in the Zodiacs cruising on the scenic Zhupanova River where we should get great looks at Steller’s Sea Eagles as the birds often nest in the trees adjacent to the river. Other highlights could include Far Eastern Curlew, Long-toed Stint, Kamchatka Gull and Aleutian Tern. There is also a major salmon fishery on the river which we can visit.

Day 6: Bukta Russkaya, Kamchatka

In this deep fiord on the Kamchatka Peninsula we will look for the endangered Kittlitz’s Murrelet as well as Long-billed Murrelet. We plan a short excursion at the head of the fiord where there is a chance of seeing brown bears. At the entrance to the fiord where we can Zodiac cruise there are almost always Orcas and Steller Sea Lions.

Day 7: Second Kuril Strait, Atlasova and Onekotan Islands

Very early in the morning we will pass through Second Kuril Strait which has one of the highest densities of Sea Otters in the Kuril Islands. Our landing on Atlasova Island is great for birders and non birders alike. There are the remains of a Gulag to explore and numerous species to see. This evening on Onekotan Island we can stretch our legs through an amazing field of wild flowers as we walk to Black Lake.

Day 8: Ekarma and Toporkovy Islands

During an early morning Zodiac cruise at Ekarma Island we should see various alcids, with close looks at Tufted Puffin and Whiskered Auklet. This afternoon at Toporkovy Island in the shadow of the active Matua Island volcano we can expect to find Harlequin Ducks, Red-faced Cormorants, Tufted Puffins and Brunnich’s Guillemots. Ashore we could encounter Grey-tailed Tattler, Middendorff’s Grasshopper Warbler and Black-faced Bunting.

Day 9: Simushir and Yankicha Islands

We will enter a flooded caldera at the northern end of Simushir Island where a once top secret Soviet submarine base lies abandoned. In the surrounding area look for Siberian Rubythroat, Eurasian Nutcracker, Pine Grosbeak and Japanese Grey Bunting. Our visit to Yankicha Island is likely to be one of the highlights of the voyage as the number of alcids which breed here is incredible, with spectacular concentrations of Crested and Whiskered Auklets.

Day 10: Chirpoy and Urup Islands

This morning depending on weather we will either Zodiac cruise or land on Chirpoy Island where there are some dramatic volcanic landscapes and headlands covered in breeding seabirds. This afternoon’s landing on Urup Island is a chance to stretch your legs on an extended walk, beachcomb and look for Sea Otters or birds in the forest behind the beach.

Day 11: Iturup Island

This morning we land at the small settlement of Kurilsk from where local buses/trucks will take us into the volcanic highlands to thermal hot pools where you can enjoy a soak or go birding. Possible species include Kamchatka Leaf-warbler, Japanese Robin, Siberian Accentor, Pine Grosbeak and Japanese Bush-warbler

Day 12: Kunashir Island

Kunashir is the largest island in the Kuril chain. We plan a landing in the Kurilsky Reserve and will explore an extensive area of woodland, where there are some good walks and birding. This afternoon while we are at sea there is a chance for birding and an opportunity to recap and pack.

Day 13: Sakhalin Island

Arrive at the Port of Korskov on Sakhalin Island. There will be transport to a central hotel and the airport in the town of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Please note: All itineraries are subject to weather, local conditions and final approval by the relevant authorities.

Dates: 28th May – 9th June 2019 (Petropavlovsk – Sakhalin)

Leader/s: Chris Collins and the rest of the ship’s expedition team.

Cost:

£5885 Sharing a triple basic (upper & lower berths)

£6865 Sharing a twin basic (lower berths)

£7429 Sharing a twin with facilities(upper and lower berths)

£7915 Sharing a superior twin with facs. (lower berths)

£8229 Sharing a suite with facilities from (beds)

_________________________________________________________________

Dates: 27th May – 8th June 2020 (Petropavlovsk – Sakhalin)

Leader/s: Chris Collins and the rest of the ship’s expedition team.

Cost:

£6119 Sharing a triple basic (upper & lower berths)

£7139 Sharing a twin basic (lower berths)

£7729 Sharing a twin with facilities(upper and lower berths)

£8229 Sharing a superior twin with facs. (lower berths)

£8559 Sharing a suite with facilities from (beds)

Single cabin supplement 1.8 twin share price.

Deposit: 25%

You may advance register for the 2021 voyage for only £50pp.

Price includes: Voyage with accommodation as booked, including all meals, tea/coffee, shore excursions, lectures and services of WildWings leader and the rest of the expedition team, day by day bird and mammal checklist & transfers hotel to ship, ship to airport.

Dates:

Russian, former research vessel carrying up to 54 passengers. Officers and crew professional and friendly. Western expedition staff. Comfortable with good food. A real expedition feel. All cabins with portholes or windows. The most pioneering expedition vessel currently out on the oceans, she often conducts voyages of true exploration and is also one of the last of the well-loved “Molchanov’ class of ships.

Chris has birded in over 80 countries and territories around the world and now spends the quite a lot of his time at sea. Although professionally qualified as a Chartered Accountant, these days Chris concentrates on wildlife-related projects and was very instrumental in setting up the Western Pacific Odyssey and also guides our Russian Far East voyages.

WildWings are a division of Strand Travel Ltd. Based in London.
The Company have been trading for more than 25 years. We are fully bonded and licensed with ABTA (G7745) and hold CAA ATOL License 5429. Payments for your travel arrangements may be made by cash, cheque, bank transfer and/or UK debit card. (Credit Cards are accepted from Non-EU residents only, a 3% surcharge will apply) All information/products and prices on this website are subject to change without notice.Facebook